As fire victims flood GoFundMe for help in rebuilding, Los Angeles County will set up its own fund for residents who lost their livelihoods or whose homes or businesses were reduced to rubble by the devastating wildfires.

The county Board of Supervisors held its first meeting Tuesday since the fires destroyed large swaths of the county and gave the CEO's office a week to work out the details. The fund, which may be made up of private donations, can be used to cover a range of expenses, including moving expenses and wage reimbursements.

“We know the list of needs is deep and spans everything from child care to housing assistance,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Areas include changedparts of the building were razed by the Eaton Fire. “This will provide funders with the opportunity to support huge needs across the county.”

Barger worked with Supervisor Lindsay Horwath, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, to lay out an early blueprint for the region's recovery that includes measures to speed up reconstruction, combat price gouging and raise funds for victims. Supervisors passed the motion 5-0 during a board meeting that felt strange as wildfires were still raging miles away.

Horvath warned that the county has not yet grasped the damage caused by the fires and expected that the fires could worsen if there are strong winds.

“The economic and emotional toll on our community is enormous,” she said.

The plan calls for top officials to find ways to suspend permit requirements in unincorporated areas of the county, including Altadena, so residents can rebuild as quickly as possible. Residents in unincorporated areas will be able to rebuild without having to worry about new zoning codes, Planning Department Director Amy Bodek said in an interview.

“The good news is, if your home doesn’t meet current zoning requirements, you can still build it the way it was originally built,” she said.

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday passed its own measure aimed at helping wildfire victims in Pacific Palisades and other parts of the city, including preventing price gouging and evictions. The council also took steps to secure funding for reconstruction and recovery.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell said she wants to distribute money from the county fund in a way that ensures "historically disadvantaged communities are seen, heard and supported."

Fesia Davenport, head of the chief executive's office, said there would be "natural prioritization" of the money based on the severity of the applicant's need - for example, those receiving temporary housing subsidies from their insurance companies. People may be placed behind those people. No one gets anything.

"I'm not saying we're necessarily excluding anyone, but we do know that not all homeowners are in the same situation. Some have insurance. Some don't," she said. “There are people who are on the verge of homelessness.”

Supervisors heaped praise on Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, in contrast to the city of Los Angeles, where Mayor Karen Bass and Fire Chief Kristin Crow The relationship between Kristin Crowley and Kristin Crowley was publicly strained in the national spotlight.

"Chief Malone, you are a superhero," Supervisor Hilda Solis said, to applause.

Other county department heads also were prodded by inspectors on repeated questions raised by voters.

What measures have been taken against rent gouging?

Raphael Carbajal, director of the county's Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, said his staff is "aggressively investigating" the perpetrators through a task force and county attorneys have begun issuing subpoenas.

Will property owners who want to rebuild be assessed at current market value?

County Assessor Jeff Prang said the assessment of the destroyed homes will remain at the same level as before the damage.

Perhaps the most pressing are: When can residents return?

Kevin McGowan, director of the county Office of Emergency Management, said there is no clear timeline yet and crews are working to clear fire debris and hazardous waste.

"If we know we're not going to have people back home in the next week, they want to know so they can be angry for once, let down for once - instead of being told every day that today is not going to be that day," Barger said.

The Rev. John Shafer, pastor of Pacific Palisades Community United Methodist Church, went downtown to plead with supervisors to allow him access to his community, where he lost his home and church. Community members, many of whom have not been to the area since the evacuation, are in desperate need of their faith leaders, he said.

"You need to help us get in," he said. "No one helped us."

Times staff writer Tony Barbosa contributed to this report.